Microsoft site

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeffrey Needle
  • Start date Start date
Jeffrey said:
This page:

http://www.windowsmarketplace.com

has tons of downloads that launch from this page. If you sort by price,
you can find a ton of freeware.
Click to expand...

Jeffrey,
Thanks for posting this. I verified that the site is indeed sponsored
by Microsoft, and when you click on "Downloads", you get the following
message:

"More than 5,000 downloads from over 2,000 companies - all free. We've
compiled these popular downloads for you in our easy-to-use Free
Downloads Center."

For example, when I click on Media Players, I see a list that includes
things like Sonique, XMPlay and others. Sonique has kind of a "history"
of being spyware, so I don't know how good MS is at screening out stuff
one would be best not installing.

Other than that, the site kind of just looks too good to be true.
There's just gotta be some kind of "gotcha" to it I'm thinking.

I'm curious about when this site started.

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
The said:
Jeffrey Needle wrote:
Click to expand...
Or you could go directly to their Free Download Centre
http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Content.aspx?ctId=332
Click to expand...

or you could go directly to Cnet. :) from the MS FAQ:
http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/content.aspx?ctId=14

<q>
What is the relationship between Windows Marketplace and the sellers
featured on Windows Marketplace?
There is no direct relationship between Windows Marketplace and sellers
of merchandise listed on the site. Microsoft does not charge sellers for
listings on Windows Marketplace. Sellers can participate by working with
industry leaders CNET and Download.com.
</q>

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)
 
John said:
Jeffrey,
Thanks for posting this. I verified that the site is indeed sponsored
by Microsoft, and when you click on "Downloads", you get the following
message:

"More than 5,000 downloads from over 2,000 companies - all free. We've
compiled these popular downloads for you in our easy-to-use Free
Downloads Center."

For example, when I click on Media Players, I see a list that includes
things like Sonique, XMPlay and others. Sonique has kind of a "history"
of being spyware, so I don't know how good MS is at screening out stuff
one would be best not installing.

Other than that, the site kind of just looks too good to be true.
There's just gotta be some kind of "gotcha" to it I'm thinking.

I'm curious about when this site started.
Click to expand...


I was interested that MS is listing such programs as Firefox on this
site, a real competitor to IE. I don't recall seeing any of this
before, and I don't know when it started, I just thought it was quite
remarkable.
 
Jeffrey said:
I was interested that MS is listing such programs as Firefox on this
site, a real competitor to IE. I don't recall seeing any of this
before, and I don't know when it started, I just thought it was quite
remarkable.
Click to expand...

I agree. Probably MS is showing off how much software is written for
Windows and this site is the result. As for when the site started, a
clue to it being recently might be the dearth of user reviews.

I did notice some trialware in the screensaver category. Probably there
is more scattered throughout the site. The example I saw is clearly
lablelled as trialware though, at least.

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
John Corliss said:
...
I'm curious about when this site started.
Click to expand...

It started a little before Windows XP came out, to coincide with that OS's
release. In WinXP, if you go to the Start menu -> Programs you should find
a link to the Windows Marketplace at the top of that list, unless you've
cleaned all the extra M$ crap out of there like I have.
 
Jim said:
It started a little before Windows XP came out, to coincide with that OS's
release. In WinXP, if you go to the Start menu -> Programs you should find
a link to the Windows Marketplace at the top of that list, unless you've
cleaned all the extra M$ crap out of there like I have.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up, Jim. However, I never saw that link. On the
other hand, there was a "Windows Catalog" link which I understand now
goes to Windows Marketplace, but I did indeed delete that link. In fact,
for some reason I don't like having any shortcut in my Start Menu that
is a link. I usually just delete them offhand.

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
John Corliss said:
Jeffrey,
Thanks for posting this. I verified that the site is indeed sponsored by
Microsoft, and when you click on "Downloads", you get the following
message:

"More than 5,000 downloads from over 2,000 companies - all free. We've
compiled these popular downloads for you in our easy-to-use Free Downloads
Center."

For example, when I click on Media Players, I see a list that includes
things like Sonique, XMPlay and others. Sonique has kind of a "history" of
being spyware, so I don't know how good MS is at screening out stuff one
would be best not installing.

Other than that, the site kind of just looks too good to be true. There's
just gotta be some kind of "gotcha" to it I'm thinking.

I'm curious about when this site started.
Click to expand...

A did a search on MetaEureka and gleaned the following info:

Server : Microsoft-IIS/6.0
Date on server : Sun Mar 12 23:38:51 2006
Last modified : (Dynamic page!)
Page size : 26996
Title : Windows Marketplace: Software & hardware for the Windows operating
system
Author : (Not known!)
Made with : (Not known!)
Description : Windows Marketplace: Product information, price comparisons
and user reviews and ratings for software and hardware for t..
Keywords : Microsoft, Windows, Marketplace, computer, hardware, software,
Microsoft Windows, Windows Marketplace
Numbers of the links to this site
Google : 32,500
AltaVista :

From Alexa:
Site Info for www.windowsmarketplace.c...
Related Links
Microsoft Corporation
CNET Download.com
CNET.com
Tucows
Ebay - New & Used Electronic...
Amazon.com
Blogger.com
Shopzilla
Shopping.com
Jpoststore
Site Stats
Traffic rank: 1,852
Links-in: NaN
Contact Info
Microsoft Corporation
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, 98052 US
+1 425 882 8080
Amazon.com Shopping

===

Frank Bohan
¶ How can it be love at first sight if love is blind?
 
John said:
Thanks for clearing that up, Jim. However, I never saw that link. On the
other hand, there was a "Windows Catalog" link which I understand now
goes to Windows Marketplace, but I did indeed delete that link. In fact,
for some reason I don't like having any shortcut in my Start Menu that
is a link. I usually just delete them offhand.
Click to expand...

The record for this domain first created in Dec of 2003 (via 'whois').

y.a. data-point.

Craig
 
Craig said:
The record for this domain first created in Dec of 2003 (via 'whois').

y.a. data-point.

Craig
Click to expand...

Thanks Craig!

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
Frank said:
A did a search on MetaEureka and gleaned the following info:

Server : Microsoft-IIS/6.0
Date on server : Sun Mar 12 23:38:51 2006
Last modified : (Dynamic page!)
Page size : 26996
Title : Windows Marketplace: Software & hardware for the Windows operating
system
Author : (Not known!)
Made with : (Not known!)
Description : Windows Marketplace: Product information, price comparisons
and user reviews and ratings for software and hardware for t..
Keywords : Microsoft, Windows, Marketplace, computer, hardware, software,
Microsoft Windows, Windows Marketplace
Numbers of the links to this site
Google : 32,500
AltaVista :

From Alexa:
Site Info for www.windowsmarketplace.c...
Related Links
Microsoft Corporation
CNET Download.com
CNET.com
Tucows
Ebay - New & Used Electronic...
Amazon.com
Blogger.com
Shopzilla
Shopping.com
Jpoststore
Site Stats
Traffic rank: 1,852
Links-in: NaN
Contact Info
Microsoft Corporation
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, 98052 US
+1 425 882 8080
Amazon.com Shopping
Click to expand...

Thanks for doing that Frank. And it would seem that I was correct in
deleting the "Windows Catalog" url from my start menu, since it's far
too difficult to glean true freeware from the site.

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
John said:
I agree. Probably MS is showing off how much software is written for
Windows and this site is the result. As for when the site started, a
clue to it being recently might be the dearth of user reviews.

I did notice some trialware in the screensaver category. Probably
there is more scattered throughout the site. The example I saw is
clearly lablelled as trialware though, at least.
Click to expand...



MS can show the longest compatibility line. And that, in conjunction
with proper Hardware which is functioning right (approx. 30 Years in
one PC - Full Compatible [386!, and almost all of 86 and 286]).



Best Regards,

Daniel Mandic
 
Craig said:
John Corliss wrote:
Click to expand...
I forget who posted this link but it seems to list by catagory, starting
w/freeware: (http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Content.aspx?ctId=332).
Click to expand...

erm. . . free does NOT = Freeware. . . ;)

for example. . .

<http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/r...ice=1&SortBy=POP&Order=D&av=13-3293&catID=282>

"Sonique by Terra Lycos Free"

several hoops later. . . I arrived here:

<http://www.download.com/Sonique/3000-2139-10103805.html?part=winmp&subj=dl&tag=feed&jump=winmp>

<q>
Note: You must be a member of the Sonique network to download this file.
The Download Now link will take you to an e-mail capture page where you
can sign up for membership or access your account to get download access.
</q>

I agree with John - it's "difficult to glean true freeware from the
site". :)

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)
 
Craig said:
John Corliss wrote:


I forget who posted this link but it seems to list by catagory, starting
w/freeware: (http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Content.aspx?ctId=332).

hth,
Click to expand...

Craig,
That was the starting point I was operating from. Try, for instance,
looking at some of the "Action & Adventure" offerings. Many of them say
"Free" and yet when you get to the download page, you find out that
they're time limited trialware or demos only.

--
Regards from John Corliss
I don't reply to trolls like Andy Mabbett or Doc (who uses sock
puppets), for instance. No adware, cdware, commercial software,
crippleware, demoware, nagware, PROmotionware, shareware, spyware,
time-limited software, trialware, viruses or warez for me, please.
 
John said:
Craig, ...<stuff deleted>.. you find out that they're time limited
trialware or demos only.
Click to expand...

Yea, Susan set me straight on that point earlier. I guess the site just
dazzled me.

<grin>

-Craig
 
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